A weekly roundup of food, drink and restaurant news

The partners behind Jolly Pumpkin are planning to open this fall a new bar and restaurant at the Wagner Place development in Dearborn's west downtown.

A weekly roundup of food, drink and restaurant news:

Jolly Pumpkin longboarding into Dearborn

The team behind Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales has a new "West Coast-and Hawaiian-inspired" bar and restaurant in the works for Dearborn.

The new establishment, called The Longboard, is planned to open this fall in an 8,000-square-foot space on the ground floor of Wagner Place — Ford Land's $60 million development in the city's west downtown.

The Longboard, to be led by general manager John Elwell, is looking to hire 80 people for the front and back of the house, according to a news release. Those interested are invited to apply in person at the 21931 Michigan Ave. location.

An opening date has not been set. Details on seating, menu and build-out costs were unavailable. Spokeswoman Stephanie Casola said the menu and seating arrangement have not been finalized. There will be an outdoor patio.

Jolly Pumpkin is part of a portfolio of businesses that includes Grizzly Peak in Ann Arbor and North Peak Brewing Co. in Traverse City. Partners include restaurant developers Jon Carlson and Greg Lobdel, and master brewer Ron Jeffries. It has expanded rapidly in recent years, with a new brewery expected to open in downtown East Lansing in early winter.

In other Jolly news, North Peak is collaborating with Jolly Pumpkin on two new brews. The first is Habitante Espíritu, a sour white ale created by blending North Peak's flagship Diabolical IPA with its Double White IPA and aging the product in oak barrels. The 7.9 percent ABV wit beer is rich in tropical notes and leaves a dry bitter finish.

The second collaboration is another oak-aged brew called El Monstruo del Norte. It consists of North Peak's Gnarl chestnut amber ale combined with Jolly Pumpkin's La Roja sour ale. The 6.7 percent beer is aged for four months before being bottled.

The brews are available on tap at bars serving craft beer throughout Michigan. They are also available in 750ML bottles at craft beer retailers.

North Peak also rolled out this week a new milkshake IPA called Euphoria, according to a news release. The 6.6 percent ABV brew is described as sweet and creamy with subtle hints of coconut and vanilla bean. It's full-bodied with a low hop bitterness, unlike many other IPAs.

The beer will be on sale in bars and retailers throughout the state, available in 12 oz. cans, six packs and draft during the last week in October.

Dragonmead targets mid-November for new location

Dragonmead Brewery is targeting mid-November to open its second location, on the Nautical Mile in St. Clair Shores.

Dragonmead operates out of a nondescript building in a warehouse district in Warren along the I-696 Service Drive. The new location, to be called Dragon's Landing, would give the business a prime storefront along a strong entertainment district on Jefferson Avenue.

The medieval-themed brewery confirmed in April via a Facebook post that it purchased the 6,300-square-foot building on Jefferson between Nine and 10 Mile roads. A company spokesperson told Crain's via Facebook message Thursday that it hopes to be open next month. The company declined to share more details.

The most recent occupant of the building, Shipwreck Brewing Co., failed to take off when business partners opened it in 2017. The microbrewery closed quietly shortly after, never catching its bearings after complaints about the quality of its beer stacked up online.

Still, Dragonmead joins a blossoming craft beer scene in St. Clair Shores. Just down the street is Baffin Brewing Co., which opened in 2015. Another brewery, Jamex Brewing Co., opened nearby on Harper Road in 2017.

Dragonmead was founded in 1997 and serves more than 40 different styles of beer and more than 15 selections of wine and mead out of its Warren taproom and brewery.

Phill Milton, who operates food vendor Table inside the hall, plans to open a fried chicken restaurant there called Which Came First, according to a report by Eater Detroit. Milton runs a restaurant by the same name at Federal Galley in Pittsburgh. Like Fort Street Galley, that food hall is run by Pittsburgh-based Galley Group.

On the menu at Milton's original restaurant is grilled or fried chicken breasts, thighs and tenders on either a potato bun, wrap or in a salad, according to Federal Galley's website. Sandwich styles rage from Havana (pickles, honey ham, dijonaise, roasted pork and swiss cheese) to Nashville (hot sauce, pickles, vinegar slaw, spicy remoulade). Cost is $13 or $14 per sandwich.

Lucky's became the third restaurant to leave Fort Street Galley earlier this month. The food hall opened in December. Ideally, tenants test out their ideas over the course of a year and then move on to open their own storefronts, according to Galley Group.

Eater Detroit reported that the new chicken restaurant is scheduled to open Oct. 25 at Fort Street Galley. Crain's requested more information from the Galley Group.

The midcentury inspired Hammer & Nail offers a range of $13 throwback cocktails updated for modern tastes in the redeveloped "Hammer and Nail" building, now called The Plaza.

The cocktail-focused venue with a marble bar and light food options is the latest venture into the bar and restaurant business for Detroit-based developer Roxbury Group, which opened the Monarch Club atop the downtown Metropolitan Building in May. It also has the downtown Buhl Bar, Cadillac House in Lexington and incoming Lone Goat pub. Roxbury now operates a food and beverage arm, TreeFort Hospitality.

Detroit-based Patrick Thompson Design designed the 1,800-square-foot Hammer & Nail in the building's lobby. It will be open 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Monday-Saturday and 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.

The 12-story Plaza is at 3800 Woodward Ave., near Orchestra Hall and the Midtown Whole Foods Market. After a $24 million redevelopment, it opened in 2017. Its apartments vary in size from 702 to 2,479 square feet and rent for between $1,625 and $6,300 a month.

The restored neon sign that is now a focal decorative point at the Hammer & Nail was previously hung at the top of the building. There were two; the other was donated to a carpenters union that used to be headquartered there.

Otus Supply via Facebook

The Detroit Free Press reports that Otus Supply in Ferndale has employees alleging bounced paychecks and possible labor law violations.

Report: Trouble at Otus Supply

Otus Supply's employees allege the Ferndale restaurant and performance venue has been bouncing paychecks and it appears the restaurant could be violating labor laws, the Detroit Free Press' Mark Kurlyandchik reports.

Otus Supply "appears to be in a precarious financial situation that is negatively impacting employees," Kurlyandchik writes, citing interviews with 10 current and former employees, as well as Oakland County Circuit Court lawsuits. The lawsuits alleged Otus Supply stiffed two suppliers out of $162,000 and $40,000, according to the Free Press.

The 11,000-square-foot, ornately decorated Otus Supply opened in late 2016 after a $4 million investment, including the purchase of the building at 345 E. Nine Mile Road.

Owners Scott Myrick and Thom Bloom told the Free Press in a statement that construction around Nine Mile and Woodward Avenue has hurt business, but that they are "committed to our employees" and "excited and optimistic about our growth ..."

In case you missed it:

Ales and lagers aren't the only game in town when it comes to Michigan's drink economy. The wine industry is flourishing, and craft spirits and even kombucha are growing at a breakneck pace. Read more in Crain'sspecial report.